Flame spreading over liquid ethanol

Flame spreading over liquid ethanol has been experimentally characterized f or ethanol for sub-flash temperatures, in two different channels. Three dif ferent spreading regimes have been observed. A uniform region (with flame v elocities close to 10 cm/s) appears for values of the initial surface liqui d temperature T-infinity above a critical value T-c. For values T-h < T-inf inity < T-c an oscillatory regime occurs. For very low temperatures, T-infi nity < T-h, a new uniform regime appears with slow propagation velocities ( close to 1 cm/s). The critical point T-c has been described as a Hopf bifur cation, while T-h resembles a homoclinic connection.